communication from the commission to the council …€¦ · settings or in the food chain...
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EUROPEAN COMMISSION
Brussels, 29.6.2017
COM(2017) 339 final
COMMUNICATION FROM THE COMMISSION TO THE COUNCIL AND THE
EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT
A European One Health Action Plan against Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR)
{SWD(2017) 240 final}
2
1 THE NEED FOR EU ACTION AGAINST ANTIMICROBIAL RESISTANCE (AMR)
1.1 State of play
Since penicillin was first discovered in 1928, life-saving antimicrobials have revolutionised
our society and economy. Previously deadly diseases have become routine ailments, requiring
little more than a brief treatment. These achievements are now at risk mainly because of the
excessive or inappropriate use of antimicrobials, which has led to the increasing emergence
and spread of multi-resistant bacteria. Without effective action to reverse current trends, we
could face a return to the pre-antibiotic era, with simple wounds and infections causing
significant harm and even death and routine medical procedures becoming very high risk.
Antimicrobials: include antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals and antiprotozoals. They are active
substances of synthetic or natural origin which kill or inhibit the growth of microorganisms. Used in
every-day medicine (e.g. urinary tract infections, surgery and care of premature babies), they are vital
to preventing and treating infections in humans and animals.
Antimicrobial resistance (AMR): is the ability of microorganisms, such as bacteria, to become
increasingly resistant to an antimicrobial to which they were previously susceptible. AMR is a
consequence of natural selection and genetic mutation. Such mutation is then passed on conferring
resistance. This natural selection process is exacerbated by human factors such as inappropriate use of
antimicrobials in human and veterinary medicine, poor hygiene conditions and practices in healthcare
settings or in the food chain facilitating the transmission of resistant microorganisms. Over time, this
makes antimicrobials less effective and ultimately useless.
AMR is a serious challenge, in the EU and globally. According to the World Health
Organization (WHO)1, AMR has already reached alarming levels in many parts of the world.
High levels of AMR in bacteria linked to numerous common infections (e.g. urinary tract
infections, pneumonia, tuberculosis and gonorrhoea) have been observed in all WHO regions.
Resistance to antivirals, such as those used to treat HIV, is also increasing.
Global efforts include the 2016 United Nations Political Declaration on AMR2 and the 2015
WHO Global Action Plan on AMR3, which was subsequently adopted by the World Animal
Health Organisation (OIE) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). AMR has also
been addressed in the G7 and G20 forums.
AMR already presents a serious social and economic burden. It is estimated to be responsible
for 25,000 deaths per year in the EU alone4 and 700,000 deaths per year globally. Inaction is
projected to cause millions of deaths globally: it has been estimated that AMR might cause
more deaths than cancer5 by 2050.
1 http://www.who.int/entity/drugresistance/documents/surveillancereport/en/index.html 2 United Nations, 2016. Political Declaration of the high-level meeting of the General Assembly on antimicrobial
resistance. New York, USA. 3 WHA 68.7
http://www.wpro.who.int/entity/drug_resistance/resources/global_action_plan_eng.pdf 4 http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/0909_TER_The_Bacterial_Challenge_Time_to_React.pdf 5 https://amr-review.org/sites/default/files/160525_Final%20paper_with%20cover.pdf
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Apart from the human suffering caused by that development, AMR also pushes up the cost of
treatment and diminishes productivity due to illness. In the EU alone it is estimated that AMR
costs EUR 1.5 billion annually in healthcare costs and productivity losses4. The World Bank
6
has warned that, by 2050, drug-resistant infections could cause global economic damage on a
par with the 2008 financial crisis. AMR also threatens the achievement of several of the
United Nations’ sustainable development goals, particularly the targets for good health and
well-being7 (goal 3).
Effective action against the rise of AMR will mitigate its negative impact on the economy and
can therefore be considered a contribution to economic growth, to sustainable healthcare
budgets by reducing healthcare costs and to a productive and healthy population.
The EU was quick to recognise the importance of tackling AMR, as the 2001 Community
strategy against AMR8 shows. This policy was reinforced with the 2011 Commission action
plan9, notable for its One Health approach, addressing AMR in both humans and animals.
One Health: is a term used to describe a principle which recognises that human and animal health
are interconnected, that diseases are transmitted from humans to animals and vice versa and must
therefore be tackled in both. The One Health approach also encompasses the environment, another link
between humans and animals and likewise a potential source of new resistant microorganisms. This
term is globally recognised, having been widely used in the EU and in the 2016 United Nations
Political Declaration on AMR.
Since 1999, the Commission has invested over EUR 1.3 billion in AMR research, making
Europe a leader in this domain. EU achievements include the launch of the New Drugs for
Bad Bugs (ND4BB) programme10
, the world’s biggest public-private AMR research
partnership, forming part of the Innovative Medicines Initiative (IMI)11
. The EU has also set
up the Joint Programming Initiative on AMR (JPIAMR)12
which aims to better coordinate and
align worldwide AMR research efforts.
Despite all this, incidences of infections resistant to multidrug therapies and last-resort
treatments13
have significantly increased in the EU14
in recent years.
The development and spread of AMR in the environment is also a growing concern, requiring
further research. A number of scientific studies have identified the potential negative impacts
of resistant microorganisms or antimicrobials on the environment.
6 World Bank, 2016, ‘Drug-Resistant Infections: A Threat to Our Economic Future’, Washington, DC. 7 http://www.un.org/sustainabledevelopment/sustainable-development-goals 8 COM (2001) 333 final 9 COM (2011) 748 10 http://www.imi.europa.eu/content/nd4bb 11 http://www.imi.europa.eu 12 http://www.jpiamr.eu 13 Treatments that are tried after all other options have failed to produce an adequate response in the patient
14 http://ecdc.europa.eu/en/publications/Publications/antimicrobial-resistance-europe-2015.pdf
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At the same time, the discovery, development, manufacture and marketing of new
antimicrobials has significantly slowed down in the past 20 years. Historical data show a low
success rate: only 1 out of 16 antibiotics from early-stage research reaches clinical application
for patients15
.
1.2 Recent developments and way forward
In the face of regional and global AMR challenges, the EU stands at the forefront for
addressing AMR. However, no single action will, in isolation, provide an adequate solution.
Resistant bacteria and infectious diseases do not respect borders. No individual Member State
or the EU can tackle the problem on its own. The EU is nevertheless in a strong position to act
given its high degree of economic development, and commitment to a high level of human
health protection.
As requested by the Member States, the Council conclusions of 17 June 201616
call for a new
and comprehensive EU action plan on AMR based on the One Health approach.
This new action plan builds on the 2011 action plan, its evaluation17
, the feedback on the
roadmap18
and an open public consultation19
.
The evaluation concluded that the 2011 action plan had clear EU added value, was a symbol
of political commitment, stimulated action within the Member States and strengthened
international cooperation. The evaluation also confirmed that the issues addressed in the 2011
plan are still relevant today. However, initiatives need to be broadened, such as extending the
One Health approach to include the environment and tackling AMR more comprehensively on
the basis of improved data collection, monitoring and surveillance. Further support and
assistance to EU Member States to address differences and foster cooperation, more efficient
and coordinated research to improve knowledge and develop solutions, and a continued strong
EU voice at global level, were also recommended.
The roadmap on a new EU action plan on AMR received contributions from 22 stakeholders
from 24 October 2016 to 28 March 2017. The open public consultation took place between 27
January and 28 April 2017. It consisted of two separate online questionnaires: one for citizens
and one for administrations, associations and other organisations. In total 421 responses were
received from citizens and 163 from administrations, associations and other organisations.
The synopsis report accompanying this Communication provides an overview of the
contributions received and how they have been taken into account in defining concrete
actions. Overall, the replies submitted confirm the strong support for a new One Health action
plan and the importance of a comprehensive approach.
This new One Health action plan against AMR is motivated by the need for the EU to play a
leading role in the fight against AMR and to add value to Member States' actions. Its
15 Payne et al. Drugs for bad bugs: confronting the challenges of antibacterial discovery Nature Reviews Drug
Discovery 6, 29-40 (January 2007) 16http://www.consilium.europa.eu/en/press/press-releases/2016/06/17-epsco-conclusions-antimicrobial-
resistance 17
SWD(2016) 347 final 18
http://ec.europa.eu/smart-regulation/roadmaps/docs/2016_sante_176_action_plan_against_amr_en.pdf
19 https://ec.europa.eu/health/amr/consultations/consultation_20170123_amr-new-action-plan_en
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overarching goal is to preserve the possibility of effective treatment of infections in humans
and animals. It provides a framework for continued, more extensive action to reduce the
emergence and spread of AMR and to increase the development and availability of new
effective antimicrobials inside and outside the EU.
The key objectives of this new plan are built on three main pillars:
1. making the EU a best practice region: as the evaluation of the 2011 action plan
highlighted, this will require better evidence, better coordination and surveillance,
and better control measures. EU action will focus on key areas and help Member
States in establishing, implementing and monitoring their own national One Health
action plans on AMR, which they agreed to develop at the 2015 World Health
Assembly20
;
2. boosting research, development and innovation by closing current knowledge
gaps, providing novel solutions and tools to prevent and treat infectious diseases,
and improving diagnosis in order to control the spread of AMR;
3. intensifying EU efforts worldwide to shape the global agenda on AMR and the
related risks in an increasingly interconnected world.
The new plan contains concrete actions with EU added value that the Commission will
develop and strengthen as appropriate in the coming years. All these actions are important in
themselves, but they are also interdependent and need to be implemented in parallel in order
to achieve the best outcome.
2 MAKING THE EU A BEST PRACTICE REGION
Within the EU, the situation across Member States with regard to AMR varies greatly. This
includes patterns of antimicrobial use, occurrence of resistance, and the extent to which
effective national policies to deal with AMR have been implemented. In order to tackle this
situation, the Commission will concentrate on key areas with the highest added value for
Member States, while respecting the limits of EU competence and bearing in mind that
Member States remain primarily responsible for the definition of their health policies.
The Commission will continue to bring together all relevant EU scientific agencies – notably
the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the European Medicines Agency (EMA), and
the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control (ECDC) – to jointly take appropriate
actions. This will enable Member States to benefit from the most effective support and
resources for reducing AMR and preserving the effectiveness of antimicrobials. Agencies’
supportive actions will include infection prevention, biosecurity measures and control
practices in human healthcare and in animal husbandry, including aquaculture, in order to
reduce infections and thus the need for antimicrobials.
20 World Health Organization, 2015. 68th World Health Assembly: WHA resolution 68.7. Geneva, Switzerland;
the commitment to have national AMR action plans in place before mid-2017 was confirmed in the Council
conclusions on the next steps under a One Health approach to combat antimicrobial resistance.
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EU actions will focus on the areas with the highest added value for Member States, e.g.
promoting the prudent use of antimicrobials, enhancing cross-sectorial work, improving
infection prevention and consolidating surveillance of AMR and antimicrobial consumption.
2.1 Better evidence and awareness of the challenges of AMR
Strengthen One Health surveillance and reporting of AMR and antimicrobial use
Resistant microorganisms exist in humans, animals, food, and the environment. This makes
AMR a complex epidemiological issue. The main cause of AMR is antimicrobial use. A
comprehensive, collaborative and coordinated collection and analysis of data from multiple
domains, i.e. a One Health AMR surveillance system, is therefore essential to understand the
magnitude of the problem, identify trends, determine how the use of antimicrobials and AMR
are linked, evaluate policies and set priorities. Although in the EU a wide range of
surveillance programmes and activities across different sectors exist, gaps in surveillance
remain. A more integrated surveillance system is needed to have a complete picture of the
AMR epidemiological situation in the EU and to better identify critical control points. In the
animal health area, a new regulatory framework (Animal Health Law21
), offers a better basis
to develop detailed rules for controlling resistant bacteria.
The Commission will:
- review EU implementing legislation on monitoring AMR in zoonotic and commensal
bacteria in farm animals and food22
, to take into account new scientific developments
and data collection needs;
- review EU implementing legislation on reporting communicable diseases in humans23
to take into account new scientific developments and data collection needs;
- identify and assess under the Animal Health Law and with the support of the EFSA,
resistant bacteria that cause transmissible animal diseases and, if necessary, develop
harmonised rules for their surveillance;
- improve AMR detection in the human health sector by providing EU support for
networking collaboration and reference laboratory activities;
- consider options for the harmonised monitoring of AMR in the environment,
including through the network of national reference laboratories in the veterinary
sector.
21
Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 9 March 2016 on transmissible
animal diseases and amending and repealing certain acts in the area of animal health (‘Animal Health Law’), OJ
L 84, 31.3.2016, p.1. 22 Commission Implementing Decision 2013/652/EU of 12 November 2013 on the monitoring and reporting of
antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and commensal bacteria, OJ L 303, 14.11.2013, p. 26. 23 Commission Decision 2002/253/EC of 19 March 2002 laying down case definitions for reporting
communicable diseases to the Community network under Decision No 2119/98/EC of the European Parliament
and of the Council, OJ L 86, 3.4.2002, p. 44.
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Benefit from the best evidence-based analysis and data
High-quality research, data and analysis are crucial as a basis for new measures against AMR
and to help policymakers improve existing measures. Some information is already available to
Member States, but additional reliable information needs to be generated.
The Commission will:
- provide evidence-based data, with the support of the ECDC, the EMA and the EFSA,
on possible links between the consumption of antimicrobial agents and the occurrence
of antimicrobial resistance in humans and food-producing animals;
- define, with the support of the ECDC, the EMA and the EFSA, a limited number of
key outcome indicators for AMR and antimicrobial consumption to measure the EU’s
and Member States’ progress in the fight against AMR;
- develop, with the support of the OECD, a model aimed at helping Member States to
assess the economic burden of AMR imposes on people and to estimate the cost-
effectiveness of their national policies to reduce it.
Increase awareness and understanding
Several Eurobarometer surveys on AMR carried out since 201024
show that the level of
awareness of the relationship between the use of antimicrobials and the development and
spread of AMR is still low. This is a major cause for the inappropriate use of antimicrobials in
humans and animals. More must be done to raise awareness and education about AMR. EU-
level communication initiatives should support Member States in improving public and
professional understanding of AMR, promote prudent use and support more informed clinical
decision-making and judicious prescribing.
The Commission will:
- provide insights into reported public use of and knowledge about antimicrobials
through Eurobarometer surveys;
- support Member States’ national awareness-raising efforts with specific
communication tools targeting key audiences and contribute to the annual European
Antibiotic Awareness Day (EAAD).
24 Special Eurobarometer 338 (April 2010), Special Eurobarometer 407 (November 2013) and Special
Eurobarometer 445 (June 2016)
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2.2 Better coordination and implementation of EU rules to tackle AMR
Improve the coordination of Member States’ One Health responses to AMR
With AMR on the rise in the EU, it is vital to ensure that lessons learnt from successful
strategies are made accessible to all Member States. To deal with the cross-border health
threat of AMR25
, it is crucial to identify and share best practices and policies, so that a lack of
action in one region or sector does not undermine progress made in others. To assist with and
accelerate this collaboration, in early 2017 the Commission set up an AMR One Health
network of government experts from the human health, animal health, and environmental
sectors, as well as the EU scientific agencies working in the human and animal health sectors
(ECDC, EMA, and EFSA). Within the AMR One Health network, its members work towards
facilitating mutual learning, sharing innovative ideas, building consensus, comparing progress
made in key areas and, where necessary, accelerating national efforts to tackle AMR.
The Commission will:
- make available regular information on AMR in the context of the AMR One Health
network, which gives an overview of the AMR epidemiological situation at Member
State and EU level;
- support the implementation of national One Health action plans against AMR through
joint Commission and the ECDC visits to Member States upon request;
- launch a joint action26
to support collaborative activities and policy development by
Member States to tackle AMR and healthcare-associated infections;
- make increased use of the EU Health Security Committee and the Commission
Working Group on AMR in the veterinary and food areas to strengthen coordination
and to share information;
- seek to co-fund and collaborate with the WHO on activities to help EU Member
States develop and implement national One Health action plans against AMR.
Better implementation of EU rules
In order to deliver long-lasting results and create the necessary impetus, it is important that
the EU legislation related to AMR (e.g. rules on AMR monitoring in food-producing animals,
on use of veterinary medicinal products and medicated feed) is adequately implemented. This
implies properly training of Member States’ staff involved in official control activities and
keeping them up to date on all aspects of EU legislation related to AMR in order to ensure
that controls are carried out uniformly and objectively in all Member States.
25 Decision 1082/2013/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 22 October 2013 on serious cross-
border threats to health and repealing Decision 2119/98/EC, OJ L 293, 5.11.2013, p.1
26 JA-04-2016 - Antimicrobial resistance and Health Care Associated Infections
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The Commission will:
- assess the effectiveness of the implementation of EU legislation27
on, inter alia,
monitoring AMR in food-producing animal populations and food by continuing to
carry out regular audits in Member States;
- develop training programmes on AMR for Member State competent authorities under
the Better Training for Safer Food (BTSF) initiative and for health professionals
through the ECDC and the EU health programme;
- advise Member States on the possibility to use the Structural Reform Support Service
(SRSS) funding to Member States for designing and implementing policies against
AMR.
2.3 Better prevention and control of AMR
Strengthen infection prevention and control measures
Infection prevention, biosecurity measures and control practices are critical in the control of
all infectious microorganisms as they reduce the need for antimicrobials and consequently the
opportunity for microorganisms to develop and spread resistance.
The availability of new and more coherent surveillance data, research and technologies will
inform innovative approaches and improvements in infection prevention and control
measures. Other control measures, such as vaccination, could also reduce the occurrence and
spread of certain diseases, limiting the need for antimicrobials. In addition, immunisation
through vaccination is a cost-effective public health intervention with proven economic
benefits28
.
The Commission will:
- help to address patient safety in hospital environments by supporting good practices
in infection prevention and control;
- support activities jointly funded by the EU and Member States for infection
prevention and control in vulnerable groups, in particular to tackle resistant
tuberculosis strains;
- promote the uptake of vaccination in humans as a public health measure to prevent
infections and subsequent use of antimicrobials;
- continue to promote animal husbandry, including aquaculture and livestock farming
systems, and feeding regimes which support good animal health and welfare to reduce
antimicrobial consumption.
27
Commission Implementing Decision 2013/652/EU of 12 November 2013 on the monitoring and reporting of
antimicrobial resistance in zoonotic and commensal bacteria, OJ L 303, 14.11.2013, p. 26.
28 http://www.gavi.org/about/value/
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Promote the prudent use of antimicrobials
The appropriate and prudent use of antimicrobials is essential to limiting the emergence of
AMR in human healthcare and in animal husbandry.
Cross-sectorial and coordinated actions to promote the prudent use of antimicrobials in
humans and animals are necessary to slow down the development of AMR and preserve the
effectiveness of antimicrobials. Such actions, often referred to as ‘antimicrobial stewardship’
actions, are in place in some sectors (e.g. EU guidelines for the prudent use of antimicrobials
in veterinary medicine29
) but are not sufficiently developed for all situations in which
antimicrobials are used.
The Commission will:
- work towards EU implementing and delegated acts under the forthcoming veterinary
medicinal products and medicated feed Regulations (once adopted by the European
Parliament and the Council)30
, including rules on reserving antimicrobials for human
use, drawing up a list of antimicrobials that cannot be used off-label, and methods for
data gathering and reporting on the sales and use of antimicrobials;
- develop EU guidelines for the prudent use of antimicrobials in human medicine;
- assist Member States implement EU guidelines for the prudent use of antimicrobials
in veterinary medicine, including identifying and disseminating good practices;
- encourage the EMA to review all available information on the benefits and risks of
older antimicrobial agents and consider whether any changes to their approved uses in
the Member States are required.
2.4 Better addressing the role of the environment
The environment is increasingly acknowledged as a contributor to the development and
spread of AMR in humans and animals, in particular in high risk areas due to human, animal
and manufacturing waste streams, but strong evidence is still required to better inform
decision-making in this area. Specific actions to improve the knowledge base are considered
in section 3. Once relevant monitoring and research data become available, risk assessment
methodologies should be developed to evaluate the risks to human and animal health.
29 http://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:52015XC0911(01)&from=EN
30 COM(2014) 558 final, COM(2014) 556 final
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The Commission will:
- adopt an EU strategic approach to pharmaceuticals in the environment31
;
- maximise the use of data from existing monitoring, e.g. Watch List monitoring under
the Water Framework Directive32
, to improve knowledge of the occurrence and spread
of antimicrobials in the environment, including by using the Information Platform for
Chemical Monitoring (IPCheM) to access relevant monitoring data33
;
- reinforce the role of the Scientific Committee on Health and Environmental Risks
(SCHER) in providing the expertise on environment-related AMR issues.
2.5 A stronger partnership against AMR and better availability of antimicrobials
Actions against AMR cannot succeed without the sustained involvement of stakeholders,
including industry, civil society, academia, and non-governmental experts but also the
European Economic and Social Committee (EESC), throughout policy development and
implementation. The Commission takes note of existing commitments and collaborative
efforts such as the declaration by the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and diagnostics
industries on combating AMR34
. It provides a roadmap for further collaboration efforts
between industry, governments and non-governmental organisations in the global fight
against AMR. In line with this initiative, regular discussions among stakeholders will
encourage them to develop and share their strategies against AMR. Cooperation with industry
is also crucial to promote the development of other promising alternatives to antimicrobials
and to address reduced availability issues, including antimicrobial withdrawals from the
market that may lead to antimicrobial shortages and inadequate replacement treatments.
It is also crucial to prevent falsified or counterfeit antimicrobial products from entering the
supply chain and harming humans or animals.
The Commission will:
- engage with and support collaboration among key stakeholders in the human health,
animal health, food, water and environmental sectors to encourage the responsible use
of antimicrobials in the healthcare sector and along the food chain, as well as the
appropriate handling of waste material;
- work with stakeholders to ensure the availability of human and veterinary
antimicrobials and continued access to established products; provide incentives to
increase the uptake of diagnostics, antimicrobial alternatives and vaccines;
31 Directive 2013/39/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council of 12 August 2013 amending Directives
2000/60/EC and 2008/105/EC as regards priority substances in the field of water policy, OJ L 226, 24.8.2013, p.
1 32 Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a
framework for Community action in the field of water policy, OJ L 327, 22.12.2000, p. 1 33 https://ipchem.jrc.ec.europa.eu/RDSIdiscovery/ipchem/index.html
34 http://www.ifpma.org/partners-2/declaration-by-the-pharmaceutical-biotechnology-and-diagnostics-industries-
on-combating-antimicrobial-resistance-amr/
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- reduce the scope for falsified medicines by assisting Member States and stakeholders
in the successful implementation of the safety features (unique identifier) that will
appear by 2019 on the packaging of medicinal products for human use35
;
- discuss the availability of veterinary antimicrobials to tackle AMR in the Veterinary
Pharmaceutical Committee.
3 BOOSTING RESEARCH, DEVELOPMENT AND INNOVATION ON AMR
Research, development (R&D) and innovation can provide novel solutions and tools to
prevent and treat infectious diseases, improve diagnosis and control the spread of AMR. This
One Health action plan not only aims to boost research, but also to further incentivise
innovation, provide valuable input into science-based policies and legal measures to combat
AMR and address knowledge gaps such as the role of AMR in the environment.
The proposed AMR research strategy covers the full One Health spectrum, addressing human
and animal health as well as the role of the environment. It takes into account the priorities set
out in the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR, the JPIAMR and national action plans. The
Commission will work in partnerships with Member States and industry, including small and
medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the IMI, to tackle AMR in bacteria, viruses, fungi and
parasites. Special attention will be given to the WHO priority list of pathogens as well as to
tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria and neglected infectious diseases. Using different funding
instruments and partnerships under its current and future framework programmes for research
and innovation, the Commission will focus on the following actions.
3.1 Improve knowledge on detection, effective infection control and surveillance
Greater efforts are needed to better understand the epidemiology, emergence, prevalence and
burden of infectious diseases, to further investigate how resistance develops and spreads, to
improve early detection; and to better understand AMR-related challenges in the European
healthcare, animal husbandry and food production sectors.
Technology today enables to collect and use data from the healthcare (hospitals, health
centres, laboratories, etc.) and agri-food sectors but also from society in general (the internet
of Things, social networks, etc.). Combining these data makes it possible to detect disease
outbreaks much earlier and helps to understand how infectious diseases are transmitted. The
development of IT solutions for such operations has great potential to improve surveillance,
prescription practices, self-management of health, care solutions, and awareness of AMR.
35 Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2016/161 of 2 October 2015 supplementing Directive 2001/83/EC of
the European Parliament and of the Council by laying down detailed rules for the safety features appearing on
the packaging of medicinal products for human use, OJ L 32, 9 February 2016, p. 1.
13
The Commission will:
- support research into the development and assessment of interventions that prevent the
development and spread of AMR in different settings such as hospitals, communities
and animal husbandry;
- support research into understanding the epidemiology of AMR, in particular the
pathways of transmission between animals and humans, and their impact;
- support research into the development of new tools for early (real-time) detection of
resistant pathogens in humans and animals, taking account of advances in IT solutions;
- support research into new eHealth solutions to improve prescription practices, self-
management of health, care solutions, and improve awareness of AMR.
3.2 Develop new therapeutics and alternatives
Despite great efforts made in the past years, including through public-private partnerships,
there are not enough antimicrobials in the pipeline to meet expected needs. The spread of
AMR has also contributed to the declining effectiveness of existing antimicrobials. More
research is needed to develop new medicinal products, therapeutics and alternative treatments,
as well as innovative anti-infective approaches and products for humans and animals. More
research is also needed to advance the repurposing of old antimicrobials, improving their
activity and to develop new combination therapies, including those to treat multidrug resistant
tuberculosis (MDR-TB). Digital technologies for testing biomedical products and innovation
in eHealth should also be scaled up, e.g. by supporting innovation procurement36
as well as
supporting SMEs.
The Commission will:
- support research into the development of new antimicrobials and alternative products
for humans and animals as well as the repurposing of old antimicrobials or the
development of new combination therapies;
- support SMEs in their R&D efforts towards innovative and/or alternative therapeutic
approaches for the treatment or prevention of bacterial infections, together with the
EMA;
- facilitate sharing of antimicrobial research data among relevant stakeholders37
to guide
future antimicrobial medicinal product discovery and development;
- support the establishment of a European-wide sustainable clinical research network,
which should speed up clinical studies on medicinal products, lower their costs, and
improve coordination of clinical research;
- support research and innovation to promote the use of digital technologies supporting
the development of new therapeutics and alternatives.
36
https://ec.europa.eu/digital-single-market/en/innovation-procurement
37 Such as researchers in academia and industry, regulators, etc.
14
3.3 Develop new preventive vaccines
Vaccines have proven to be crucial and very cost-effective in preventing the onset and spread
of infectious diseases. They also have great potential to reduce the incidence of AMR. For
example universal coverage by a pneumococcal vaccine could not only save many of the
estimated 800,000 children who die each year of pneumonia, it would also reduce by an
estimated 47% the use of antimicrobials, counteracting the development of AMR. Vaccines
already play an important role in preventing disease in farm animals and aquaculture. This
should be boosted even further to decrease the use of antimicrobials in those sectors.
The Commission will:
- continue to support research into the development of new effective preventive
vaccines for humans and animals;
- support increasing the knowledge base concerning the barriers that influence the wider
use of vaccination in medical and veterinary practice.
3.4 Develop novel diagnostics
Novel, rapid and reliable diagnostics are crucial for differentiating between bacterial and viral
infections and identifying AMR, so that the most appropriate treatment can be given in a
timely manner. By tailoring the treatment to the nature of the infectious pathogen and its
resistance pattern, diagnostics help reduce the unnecessary use of antimicrobials in humans
and animals.
Such novel diagnostics are in the process of entering the market but more tests are needed to
guide a more efficient use of existing antimicrobials in the human and animal health sectors.
Novel diagnostics will also make it possible to recruit the right patients in clinical trials for
new treatments, making the trials more efficient.
The Commission will:
- support research into the development of new diagnostic tools in particular on-site
tests in humans and animals to guide practitioners regarding the use of antimicrobials;
- support the use of IT solutions in developing tools for diagnosing human and animal
infections;
- encourage the uptake of diagnostics in medical and veterinary practice, e.g. through
innovation procurement.
3.5 Develop new economic models and incentives
Developing new antimicrobials or alternative therapies requires significant and long-term
investments. In the classic business model, pharmaceutical companies recuperate research and
development investments selling large volumes of their medicinal products. However, when
any new antimicrobial treatment enters the market and is sold and used in large quantities,
resistance can be expected to develop quickly. As the use of new antimicrobials needs to be
restricted to minimise the risk of resistance development, the current business model results in
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a market failure for antimicrobials, and works against efforts to conserve effective
antimicrobials.
New economic models need to be developed to incentivise antimicrobial discovery and
development while reconciling these incentives with responsible use. Similarly, in the
diagnostics sector, the development and uptake of novel diagnostics requires new models that
take account of the relatively high price of diagnostics compared to the currently low price of
antimicrobials. Such models would need to reflect the long-term benefit of these medicinal
products and the societal value of limiting the use of antimicrobials while promoting the use
of novel diagnostics. This would be in line with the increasing trend of developing new
therapies combined with a diagnostic.
Health Technology Assessment (HTA) methods to evaluate the added value of such new
technologies and economic analysis to understand the costs and benefits of different
investments to fight AMR are needed to provide an evidence base for the uptake of
interventions in the healthcare system and services. The involvement of HTA bodies in AMR-
related discussions could raise their awareness on AMR when assessing the added value of
new antimicrobials and alternatives, diagnostics or a combination thereof.
The Commission will:
- increase the evidence base for understanding the societal costs and benefits of
different strategies for fighting AMR, including understanding factors that influence
the uptake of interventions such as novel diagnostics or preventive measures;
- support research into the development of new economic models, exploring and
analysing incentives to boost the development of new therapeutics, alternatives,
vaccines and diagnostics;
- analyse EU regulatory tools and incentives – in particular orphan and paediatric
legislation – to use them for novel antimicrobials and innovative alternative medicinal
products (e.g. vaccines, antibacterial, antifungal, antiviral agents) that currently do not
generate sufficient returns on investment;
- encourage Member States to explore results and recommendations of EU research
projects on new economic business models;
- develop new or improved methodological HTA approaches and foster methodological
consensus-building. This could benefit the development of combinations of
technologies and co-dependent technologies including in the area of AMR.
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3.6 Close knowledge gaps on AMR in the environment and on how to prevent
transmission
AMR is a good example of a One Health matter in which human health is connected to that of
animals and the environment. Only a multidisciplinary effort can provide an adequate
response. There is a major lack of knowledge about the release and spread of resistant
organisms in the environment and the threats and risks this poses to human and animal health.
For example, the release of antimicrobials into the environment through human, animal and
manufacturing waste streams should be assessed and new technologies developed to enable
efficient and rapid degradation of antimicrobials in wastewater treatment plants, organic
waste streams or the environment.
The feasibility and implementation of monitoring programmes need to be further studied,
including the development of harmonised monitoring of antimicrobials and microorganisms
resistant against antimicrobials in the environment. Using harmonised monitoring and
research data, risk assessment methodologies should be developed to evaluate risks to human
and animal health. In the agri-food sector, the links between farming practices, animal health
and AMR development and spread need to be further investigated.
The Commission will:
- support research into knowledge gaps on the release of resistant microorganisms and
antimicrobials into the environment and their spread;
- explore risk assessment methodologies, with the support of scientific agencies and
bodies, and use them to evaluate the risks to human and animal health from the
presence of antimicrobials in the environment;
- support research into and the development of new tools for monitoring antimicrobials
and microorganisms resistant against antimicrobials in the environment;
- support the development of technologies that enable efficient and rapid degradation of
antimicrobials in wastewater and the environment and reduce the spread of AMR
4 SHAPING THE GLOBAL AGENDA
The EU and its Member States are part of an increasingly interconnected world characterised
by an intensive exchange of people and commodities where policies implemented in one
region can have significant impacts elsewhere.
The spread of AMR across borders has been recognised globally and areas for action have
been internationally agreed and outlined in the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR, which
serves as the global blue-print for AMR activities and has been endorsed by the OIE and the
FAO. The Political Declaration of the United Nations General Assembly of 21 September
2016 committed high-level support to the international implementation of the WHO Global
Action Plan on AMR.
The evaluation of the 2011 EU action plan recognised the positive effects of EU interventions
at global level. Continued effort is necessary and is outlined below.
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4.1 A stronger EU global presence
Many of the EU’s domestic AMR policies (e.g. the ban on using antimicrobials as growth
promoters in feed for food-producing animals) are already contributing to the achievement of
international objectives against AMR. Nevertheless, it continues to develop and spread across
the world. EU involvement and collaboration with multilateral organisations such as the
WHO, the OIE, the FAO and international forums should therefore be intensified in order to
contribute to regional and global action on AMR, following the One Health approach.
The Commission will:
- continue to actively contribute to the normative work of the WHO, the OIE, the FAO,
and the Codex Alimentarius on the development of ambitious international
frameworks and standards/norms/guidelines/methodologies related to AMR;
- reinforce technical cooperation with the WHO and its members in key areas of the
WHO Global Action Plan on AMR (e.g. the development of monitoring systems under
the WHO Global Antimicrobial Resistance Surveillance System (GLASS), awareness-
raising, infection prevention and control);
- boost support for the International Conference on the Harmonisation of Technical
Requirements for the Registration of Pharmaceuticals for Human Use (ICH) and the
Veterinary International Conference on the Harmonisation (VICH) on relevant
international guidelines/standards/norms related to AMR;
- work towards continued high-level political attention and commitment to AMR action,
including in the United Nations forums, the G7 and the G20;
- look for synergies with the UN Strategic Approach to International Chemicals
Management’s work on the emerging policy issue of pharmaceuticals in the
environment;38
- analyse the feasibility of setting up a global AMR clinical studies network in
collaboration with G7 members39
;
- continue and strengthen ongoing collaboration within the Transatlantic Taskforce on
Antimicrobial Resistance (TATFAR), which includes the EU, the USA, Canada, and
Norway;
- promote international regulatory convergence between the EMA and other regulatory
agencies such as the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Japan
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) on development plans for new
promising antimicrobials.
38http://www.saicm.org/EmergingPolicyIssues/Pharmaceuticalnbsp;Pollutants/tabid/5477/language/en-
US/Default.aspx 39 http://www.mhlw.go.jp/seisakunitsuite/bunya/hokabunya/kokusai/g7kobe/KobeCommunique_en.pdf
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4.2 Stronger bilateral partnerships for stronger cooperation
The EU has gained valuable expertise and experience in relation to AMR, while some of its
trading partners have taken different approaches and chosen different priorities in this regard.
There is scope for more collaboration and closer ties with these partners to build consensual
activities, share experiences and align approaches, for the benefit of all sides. Candidate
countries and potential candidates benefiting from a pre-accession strategy have also made
commitments regarding alignment and implementation of EU legislation related to AMR, as
have the neighbouring countries to which the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) applies
or who have an Association Agreement with the EU. The Commission – with the help of EU
agencies – will continue to support these countries through visits, best practice exchanges and
capacity building.
As one of the largest markets for agricultural products, the EU can play a major role in
promoting its AMR-related standards, measures in food production, and standards on animal
welfare, e.g. through its bilateral Free Trade Agreements (FTAs). The systematic inclusion of
AMR-related provisions is now a current practice for the Commission in all new FTAs.
Further actions may also be considered to ensure a level playing field between EU producers
and EU trading partners, e.g. so that efforts made by EU farmers are not compromised by the
non-prudent use of antimicrobials in EU trading partners. This could include linking
concessions made to EU trading partners with compliance with specific EU AMR policy
objectives.
The Commission will:
- advocate EU standards and measures for tackling AMR in trade agreements and
incorporate them into cooperative arrangements in trade agreements;
- engage with major global players and strategic countries (e.g. Brazil, China, India),
contributing towards achieving objectives of the WHO Global Action Plan on AMR
by sharing experiences, advocating best practices and thus stimulating actions outside
the EU;
- support EU candidate countries, potential candidate countries and neighbouring
countries to which the ENP applies in the alignment with, and capacity building for
the implementation of EU legislation related to AMR and EU standards;
- invite the European Parliament, Member States and stakeholders to share views on
actions to be taken to ensure that efforts to combat AMR made by EU producers,
including farmers, do not place them at a competitive disadvantage.
4.3 Cooperating with developing countries
The AMR threat to public health and the social and economic burden it entails is even greater
in developing countries. This is due to political, social, epidemiological and economic factors
which may vary from those in developed countries. The EU’s development policy can play an
important role in raising awareness, sharing experiences and supporting capacity building in
developing countries in order for them to be better equipped to control infectious diseases and
prevent AMR. This process can be supported through dialogue, aid and cooperation activities,
taking account of partner countries’ individual policy priorities to strengthen health systems
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and implement the sustainable development goals, in particular the third goal on good health
and well-being. Particular attention should be given to lower income countries, where support
is most needed.
The Commission will:
- continue to contribute to reducing AMR in least developed countries through
infectious disease programmes such as the Global Alliance for Vaccines and
Immunisations (GAVI);
- assist in the development of AMR strategies in the areas of food safety and animal
health through regional training workshops on AMR organised under the BTSF World
initiative;
- support partner countries’ policy initiatives on AMR, where appropriate, through
international cooperation and development instruments (e.g. Global Public Goods &
Challenges, the European Development Fund);
- support the development of resilient health systems in partner countries, e.g. by
strengthening the knowledge and evidence base, infection prevention and control and
the quality and use of antimicrobials.
4.4 Developing a global research agenda
A stronger, more interconnected and more globally oriented AMR research environment is
needed. There are great benefits to be gained from further coordination between the European
research agenda and its global counterparts. Many international initiatives have been launched
during the last few years that would benefit from stronger collaboration in order to increase
their impact, as expressed by the G739
and G2040
Health Ministers.
The Commission will:
- improve global coordination of research activities by promoting dialogue and
collaboration between international research initiatives;
- support the establishment of a virtual research institute under JPIAMR;
- continue collaborative research with Sub-Saharan Africa in the context of the
European and Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP) in particular
in relation to tuberculosis, HIV/AIDS, malaria and neglected infectious diseases;
- foster international research collaboration on AMR in the animal health sector in the
STAR-IDAZ International Research Consortium.41
40 https://www.bundesgesundheitsministerium.de/fileadmin/Dateien/3_Downloads/G/G20-
Gesundheitsministertreffen/G20_Health_Ministers_Declaration_engl.pdf 41 http://www.star-idaz.net/
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5 MEASURING SUCCESS
To obtain the desired effect, it will be important to closely monitor the effectiveness and
performance of certain key actions under this action plan at regular intervals and to modify
them if necessary.
The WHO, the OIE, the FAO, and the Codex Alimentarius are setting up systems and
developing standards to monitor global effects.
The EU systems will measure EU and Member State effects. This can be done by determining
a limited number of key outcome indicators, based on data already collected. These indicators
will be developed with the support of the EU scientific agencies (see point 2.1) and will
enable Member States to assess, in a clear and simple way, the progress made in the
implementation of their national One Health action plans on AMR. The indicators will also
help Member States to set measurable goals to reduce infections by key antimicrobial resistant
microorganisms in humans and food-producing animals, to improve the appropriateness of the
use of antimicrobials in the human and veterinary sectors and to combat AMR in all sectors.
This progress will be discussed at regular intervals in the One Health network on AMR, to
guide individual Member States and to determine if new actions are needed at EU level.
6 CONCLUSION
This Communication provides a framework for future actions against AMR and aims to make
the best possible use of the EU legal framework and policy instruments, focusing on the real
added value the EU can bring to the fight against AMR.
Most of the actions can be done by adapting and reinforcing existing actions for a more
integrated, comprehensive and effective approach to combating AMR. Other actions focus on
identified gaps in the EU response so far that requires new activities, the discovery of new
knowledge and the creation of new partnerships.
The Commission is confident that this new One Health action plan can make a difference and
will improve the EU performance in combatting AMR.
The action plan will strengthen collaboration and surveillance, will reduce data gaps and
allow for the sharing of best practices within the EU. It will create more synergies and
coherence between different policies according to the One Health approach. The action plan
will thus support the EU and its Member States in delivering innovative, effective and
sustainable responses to AMR.
The action plan will also strategically reinforce the research agenda on AMR and actively
promote global action.
The Commission invites the European Parliament and the Council to endorse this One Health
action plan and calls on Member States and all those involved to ensure that measures to
combat AMR are swiftly implemented. Only sustained ambition, continued commitment and
concerted action can turn the tide and diminish this global threat.